Abstract:
AN AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHORT LENGHTS OF GLASS TUBING FROM LONGER LENGTHS OF TUBING STOCK. THE LENGHTS OF TUBING STOCK TO BE CUT ARE MOUNTED IN A VERTICAL POSITION IN SUPPORT CHURCKS AT THE EDGE OF A ROTATING TURRET. THE SUPPORT CHUCKS ARE PERIODICALLY OPENED TO LOWER THE GLASS TUBING A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE SHORT TUBING BEING CUT ON THE MACHINE. AFTER EACH TUBE IS LOWERED, A CUTTING FLAME AND WHEEL CUT OR CRACK THE TUBE TO SEVER THE SHORTENED PIECE. THE SHORT PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN CUT FROM THE TUBE DROPS A SLIGHT DISTANCE SO THAT ITS UPPER EDGE IS SPACED FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE REMAINING TUBE. AFTER THIS SPACING HAS BEEN PROVIDED, A POLISHING FLAME IS DIRECTED SIMULTANEOUSLY AGAINST BOTH OF THE SPACED EDGES SO THAT THEY ARE SMOOTHLY FIRE-POLISHED. THIS POLISHING OPERATION, THEREFORE, COMPLETE A POLISHING OF BOTH ENDS OF THE CUT TUBE SINCE THE LOWER END OF THE CUT TUBE WAS POLISHED DURING THE PREVIOUS CUTTING AND POLISHING CYCLE. THE COMPLETED SHORT LENGTH OF TUBING WITH BOTH ENDS POLISHED IS NOW REMOVED FROM THE MACHINE IN FINISHED FORM, AND NO ADDITIONAL FIRE POLISHING IS REQUIRED.
Abstract:
A method and means for automatically assembling lamp bridges and similar articles consisting of a glass rod or other support element having several short wires embedded in the rod or element. A machine is provided having a rotating turret mounting a series of spaced wire support dies. These dies are loaded with a predetermined number of short wires at a series of vertically oriented wire feed heads. The wire feed heads are arranged for precisely positioning and feeding short lengths of wire into the dies and are arranged to handle such wires of varying diameters and lengths. After the dies are filled at the wire feed heads with the appropriate number of wires, the rotating die support turret then moves the wire filled dies first to a rod feeding station where rods are loaded onto the dies and thereafter the dies are moved to a series of rod heating and pressing stations where the wire ends are imbedded in the support rods.